GM posts $15.5 billion loss for Q2, third-worst in its history

ByABC News
August 2, 2008, 11:28 PM

DETROIT -- The loss came as North American sales plummeted and GM faced expenses due to labor unrest and a massive restructuring plan aimed at preserving cash to weather a prolonged U.S. economic downturn.

The loss of $27.33 a share was in stark contrast to the year-ago period when GM recorded a net profit of $891 million, or $1.56 a share.

Revenue for the April-June period was $38.2 billion, down $8.5 billion from a year earlier.

The company said its loss included $9.1 billion in one-time charges, including $3.3 billion for the buyouts of 19,000 U.S. hourly workers, most of whom left at the end of June, as well as $2.8 billion in liabilities related to Delphi, its former parts division.

It also included $1.3 billion worth of write-offs due to a reduction in the value of GM's 49% interest in its former financial arm, GMAC Financial Services.

Additionally, GM took a $2 billion charge to its bottom line because of huge drops in the value of pickups and sport-utility vehicles coming back to the company after lease terms end. GMAC and GM have suffered big losses when they try to sell the now-unpopular vehicles at depressed prices.

GM also took a $197 million charge related to the settlement of a nearly three-month strike at supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings, which hurt production at more than 30 GM plants. GM agreed to help American Axle fund worker buyouts as part of the settlement.

Without the one-time charges, GM lost $6.3 billion, or $11.21 a share. Twelve analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial predicted a $2.62 a share loss on revenue of $44.57 billion.

GM shares were down 60 cents, or 5.4%, to $10.47 in afternoon trading after falling nearly 11% earlier in the day.

Ray Young, GM's chief financial officer, said the company burned through $3.6 billion in cash during the second quarter, which he attributed largely to reducing the company's inventory by nearly 90,000 vehicles to less than 800,000.